Next Sunday, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz will receive the Argentinian President Javier Milei in Berlin with military honours. Misereor expects the Chancellor to clearly address Milei's hostility towards trade unions, human rights and environmental organisations, the massive social cuts at the expense of children and pensioners and Milei's personal campaign support for far-right parties in the European elections. At the same time, Misereor is calling on the German government and the EU to suspend negotiations on a trade agreement with Mercosur.
"President Milei publicly supported far-right parties from Spain, Italy and France in the European election campaign and cheered their election victory," explains Misereor's Managing Director Pirmin Spiegel. The Federal Chancellor is right to make his support for a future Commission President conditional on her not entering into an alliance with post-fascist and far-right parties. "It is therefore difficult to understand why the Federal Chancellor is legitimising the Argentinian President with a momentous trade pact and an official state visit with military honours."
High risks for people and the environment through trade agreements
In a blog published today, Misereor points out the high environmental, social and human rights risks of the planned trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur, which will be exacerbated by Milei's presidency in Argentina. "Last week, the Argentinian Congress passed a package of laws according to which companies no longer have to submit environmental impact assessments for the extraction of raw materials and the administration can evict indigenous communities from state lands without a court order. Displacements in the context of large mining projects, but also due to the expansion of livestock farming, are thus pre-programmed," warns Armin Paasch, trade expert at Misereor. "It is incomprehensible that the German government is nevertheless seeking the provisional entry into force of the trade section without a human rights clause."
Climate of hatred and fear in Argentina
In his six months in office so far, Javier Milei has carried out a social clear-cutting through cuts in pensions and wages as well as other measures in Argentina, which has led to an increase in the poverty rate from 44 to 55 per cent. "The social coldness of Milei's government is particularly evident in the funding freeze for public kitchens, which affects the poorest of the poor," says Pirmin Spiegel. According to UNICEF, 8.6 million children in Argentina now live in poverty. Through hostility towards environmentalists, trade unions, human rights defenders and feminists, Milei has fuelled hatred in Argentina, created a climate of fear and deepened social division.
Further information:
Briefing: Interim assessment of Javier Milei's first six months in power in Argentina
